The Fellows

Over 250 researchers have taken part in the Media Fellowship scheme since 1987.


"What sort of crazy, half-baked scheme takes scientists with no training in journalism from the laboratory bench and plops them in the middle of the most respected newsrooms in the world? A surprisingly successful one, apparently. The Media Fellowship scheme gave me the chance to write science articles for the Financial Times and gain insight into how UK media organisations approach science news." Tyler Shendruk, Financial Times

Hannah Devlin, Science Editor of The Times (and Media Fellow in 2006) hosted Dr Vicky Forster, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research:

“I host a Media Fellow each year and find the experience rewarding, useful and fun. This year Vicky Forster worked incredibly hard, producing many high quality articles that were published in the paper and online. This included an exclusive story, linked to her own work (Leukaemia), that she researched independently. I value working alongside a scientist and getting an insight into the most pressing issues in their field. I am sure that Vicky, and others who take the scheme, will go away with the confidence and desire to work proactively with the media in future.

“From a personal perspective, I am a huge supporter of the BSA’s Media Fellowship scheme. It was during the Fellowship that I got my first experience of professional journalism, at The Times, and I have no doubt that this opportunity, the portfolio of work I produced and the contacts I made, paved the way for a career in journalism.”

The 2016 Media Fellows

  • Dr Vanesa Martinez, Trinity College Dublin, is placed with the Irish Times, funded by Science Foundation Ireland
  • Dr Robert Thompson, University College London, is placed with BBC Radio Science, funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry
  • Dr Theodore Wilson, University of Leeds, is placed with The Mirror, funded by the Society for Applied Microbiology
  • Dr Howard Ryland, South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust, is placed with the Londonist, funded by the Wellcome Trust
  • Professor Ivor Mason, King’s College London, is placed with The I, funded by the Wellcome Trust
  • Dr Jessica Steventon, Cardiff University, is placed with Open Democracy, funded by the Wellcome Trust
  • Dr Petra Szilágyi, Greenwich University, is placed with Nature, funded by AXA
  • Dr Jonathan Sullivan, Nottingham University, is placed with BBC Radio Science, funded by the University of Nottingham
  • Dr Spencer Hazel, Nottingham University, is placed with The Times, funded by the University of Nottingham
  • Dr Denis Schluppeck, Nottingham University, is placed with The Financial Times, funded by the University of Nottingham
  • Nicky Danino, University of Central Lancashire, is placed with BBC Breakfast, funded by the University of Central Lancashire
  • Dr Rowenna Baldwin, Manchester Metropolitan University, it placed with Channel 4, funded by Manchester Metropolitan University

Previous years' Fellows

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